Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson confirmed to The Detroit News that he played through the 2012 NFL season with three broken fingers. The newspaper had reported in February that the All-Pro played with at least two such fractures in his left hand in '12.

Johnson also said he's in the process of "straightening out" the fingers this offseason. He appeared only twice on the Lions' injury report late last season while listed with a bad thumb and was able to play all 16 games — while posting 122 receptions for 1,964 yards, which broke the league's single-season record.

Although those numbers were outstanding, Johnson plans to get back to scoring more often. He told the Detroit News a personal goal is improving on his five touchdowns to help the team reach its goal of rebounding from a 4-12 season and returning to its playoff form of '11.

The Lions have kept mum on further details about Johnson's injury, but he has had no issues admitting he played through pain that may have limited his effectiveness. Now that he's feeling much better, it's scary to think what more he'll have in store for pass defenses in '13.